Circle of The Lyceum
A few months after the foundation of the Liceu the Círculo del Liceo (Liceu Circle) was created, according to the date of inscription of 125 founders that consists in the first book of associates' record on November 20, 1847.
The Círculo is an exclusive private club located in the Liceu building but it is an independent society. Only men or the widows of members could be club members. After the fire of 1994 a strong polemic was started for denying to any woman membership of the club, and the society statute was changed. In 2001 two Catalan businesswomen, Adela Subirana and Magda Ferrer-Dalmau, were formalizing their inscriptions becoming the first women to join the club. Nevertheless, the rest of the 10 women who applied were rejected including Montserrat Caballé. At present there are 1,100 associates.
As recreational club it was the first social club of the city. The history of the Círculo has allowed that it should have a phenomenal art heritage. It has a library which is more than notable and a majority of its dependences have Art Nouveau decoration. There are four large windows in the low foyer that they are a direct testimony of the strong influence of Wagnerism in the Catalan culture during the beginning of the 20th century.
Besides the furniture and the decoration the club is a vivacious and splendid sample of sculptures, marquetry, enamels, engravings, etchings and paintings of the best Catalan artists of the epoch: Alexandre de Riquer, Santiago Rusiñol, Modest Urgell Inglada and Francesc Miralles, among others. The most famous work of the club is the wall set of twelve oils on fabric, commissioned to Ramon Casas and installed in the rotunda of the club. Each of twelve paintings, Casas' most ambitious work, is inspired by a musical topic.
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Famous quotes containing the words circle of and/or circle:
“A man should not go where he cannot carry his whole sphere or society with him,Mnot bodily, the whole circle of his friends, but atmospherically. He should preserve in a new company the same attitude of mind and reality of relation, which his daily associates draw him to, else he is shorn of his best beams, and will be an orphan in the merriest club.”
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